55 gallon with a few average sized cichlids in there. Did a 1/3 water change and changed the external cartridge type carbon filters too, and now my tinfoil barb 4" is upside down breathing hard at the surface, and 3 other fish are at the top sucking air too. What did I do to them?
Did I just kill my fish?
- Thread starter ChiPerf
- Start date
Could it have been the carbon cartridges mainly? I did a water change 2 weeks ago and no issues, but this one everybody seemed worked over.
That usually comes from adding water that is cooler or warmer or not enough dechlorinator. At work when fish start doing that after water changes, amquel snaps them out of it.
I've also accidentally done full water changes on sick and sensitive fish. As long as I filled with the right temperature water and used dechlor though, I've never had any problems with that.
I've also accidentally done full water changes on sick and sensitive fish. As long as I filled with the right temperature water and used dechlor though, I've never had any problems with that.
Temperature felt good when I was filling, and the thermometer never changed too much, but maybe the chlorine or something else. Is there a way to check for the proper amount of this stuff?
Only thing I have running in the tank is one of those stupid external cartridge type filters and a heater. That's it. I posted a thread a few days ago about proper filtration, and have a lot to learn. No idea what the difference between biological and chemical and mechanical filtration is, and what is the hot setup for each/all. I haven't had a chance to research too much, but I guess that just got moved to the front of the line now.
I didn't rinse the new carbon rocks I put in the filter before I put it in. Could that have spiked the PH levels or something? I'm really trying to figure out what NOT to do next time I do a water/filter change.
You have to add a declorinator to the water to remove the clorine, because the chlorine can kill the fish.